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On April 2, the U.S. Army Contracting Command – Aberdeen Proving Ground (ACC-APG), in coordination with the Capability Program Executive Aviation (CPE AVN) and the Aviation Mission Systems and Architecture (AMSA) Project Office awarded a 10-year, $248,500,000 Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Contract to Sagetech Avionics, Inc. to produce the new AN/APX-128 Identify Friend or Foe (IFF) transponder for U.S. Army Aircraft.
The APX-128 improves airspace awareness for pilots and air traffic control by broadcasting position location information through Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) OUT. It can also receive and display similar data from other aircraft via ADS-B IN. The APX-128 enhances air space deconfliction and interoperability in a tactical environment with Mode 5 Level-2B encrypted protocols that broadcast position and velocity among friendly aircraft.
In the future, this transponder will host emerging technology, such as the Aircraft Collision Avoidance System (ACAS) X, transitioning aviators from passive data displays to an active, collision avoidance architecture featuring specific resolution messages. ACAS X gives aviators lifesaving, real-time, air space deconfliction instructions in a combat environment, significantly advancing in-flight safety and war-fighting capability.
This achievement is a dual triumph for today’s Warfighters. By leveraging the Army Contract Writing System (ACWS) ahead of its full enterprise rollout, ACC-APG demonstrated how modern procurement tools can streamline and strengthen digital contracting. Concurrently, the collaboration between CPE AVN and AMSA shows a dedication to capability innovation that is transforming tactical airspace with advanced collision avoidance and encrypted interoperability. Together, these parallel modernization efforts accelerate the delivery of critical, life-saving systems to Army Aviation and our Warfighters.
| Date Taken: | 05.19.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 05.19.2026 10:38 |
| Story ID: | 565610 |
| Location: | ALABAMA, US |
| Web Views: | 23 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Army Awards Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 3 $248.5M IDIQ for AN/APX-128: Advancing Aviation Safety and Warfighting Capability, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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